Goan egg balchao recipe from Anjum's Indian Vegetarian Feast by Anjum Anand | CookedFacebookTwitterEmailPrintFacebookTwitterEmailPrintFacebookTwitterEmailPrintFacebookTwitterEmailPrintFacebookTwitterEmailPrintFacebookTwitterEmailPrint

Step 1

Using a stick blender, blend the ginger and garlic with a little water until smooth. Separately blend the tomatoes until smooth. Grind the whole spices and chillies to a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add the onions and cook over a medium-high heat until well browned on the edges, stirring often. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook over a medium heat, stirring once the water has evaporated, until the garlic has coloured lightly and the paste has released its oil. Add the tomatoes to the cooked masala with the ground spices, seasoning and sugar and cook over a high heat until it has completely reduced. Meanwhile, put the eggs on to boil for seven to eight minutes. Take out of the hot water and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Once the sauce has reduced, keeping the heat at medium-high, ‘brown’ the paste until it has darkened considerably, stirring very often. This will really add a lot of depth of flavour. Once the paste is cooked through, add the vinegar and a good splash of water and simmer until you have a thick sauce. Meanwhile, peel your eggs and halve lengthways. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, sugar and vinegar, add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce should cling to the eggs. Serve hot.

Step 2

Using a stick blender, blend the ginger and garlic with a little water until smooth. Separately blend the tomatoes until smooth. Grind the whole spices and chillies to a powder using a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder. Heat the oil in a non-stick saucepan. Add the onions and cook over a medium-high heat until well browned on the edges, stirring often. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook over a medium heat, stirring once the water has evaporated, until the garlic has coloured lightly and the paste has released its oil. Add the tomatoes to the cooked masala with the ground spices, seasoning and sugar and cook over a high heat until it has completely reduced. Meanwhile, put the eggs on to boil for seven to eight minutes. Take out of the hot water and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking. Once the sauce has reduced, keeping the heat at medium-high, ‘brown’ the paste until it has darkened considerably, stirring very often. This will really add a lot of depth of flavour. Once the paste is cooked through, add the vinegar and a good splash of water and simmer until you have a thick sauce. Meanwhile, peel your eggs and halve lengthways. Taste the sauce and adjust the salt, sugar and vinegar, add the eggs and simmer for a few minutes. The sauce should cling to the eggs. Serve hot.